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Summit Press
"Happy Holidays!"
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December 2008
Volume 5, Issue 4  |
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Greetings!
The Summit Press Staff would like to take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful holiday season! We appreciate your support and look forward to a spectacular New Year! We hope you have a very enjoyable and relaxing holiday break.
Best Wishes,
The Summit Press Staff
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 Principal's Corner
By Mr. Owen
Dear parents and students,
The first half of the year has come to a close and as we take time to spend with family and friends over the next two weeks, please takes some time to reflect on the first semester at Summit Elementary School. Think about things that you can celebrate as successes: making new friends, participating in different clubs and activities before or after school, learning that new concept or idea in class, enjoying time with your favorite teacher, or enjoying that favorite time during the day regardless of whether it's reading, math, music, art, or even lunch :) .
Now take some time to think about some of the things that may not have gone exactly as you would have liked them. Maybe you have had some problems with a friend and it just hasn't been able to be fixed, or you have been struggling paying attention in class and you are distracting yourself or your classmates, or maybe there is one thing in a subject that you just can't seem to get. One great thing about a new year is that it gives everyone a chance to start with a fresh start, and a new outlook.
Finally, take a moment to think about how you can make sure you get to continue to enjoy the successes that you have had during the first half of the school year. Even more importantly, look at what you can do to make those things that didn't go as well as you'd like better than they were last semester. Ask Mrs. Gallagher, or another teacher, to help you and your friend talk out whatever problem you might have been having. Ask your teacher and your friends in your class to help you really focus on paying attention during class by not talking to you when you are working. Ask your teacher, or another teacher, for a little extra help if you find yourself getting stuck during a lesson. I think that you will find anyone willing to help.
Our goal at Summit is to make each day a little better, look to learn and improve each and every day. The start of a new year is a great time to begin.
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Kids for Critters- A Special Holiday Project
The upcoming holiday
season will provide an excellent opportunity for the Summit Elementary fourth
grade students to participate in a service learning project. Through this
project the students learn economics, as they become entrepreneurs, in running
their own business. The children are immersed in critical thinking activities
throughout the entire project with both the economic lessons, the manufacturing
of the products, the sale, and the analysis afterwards. "Kids for Critters" was
designed and cultivated by Mrs. Miller, fourth grade teacher at Summit. This is
the fourth year for this innovative project. The students are designing and
creating unique pet-themed products to sell during the Holiday Season. Items include Puppy Pizzas, Bird Wreaths,
Doggie French Fries, Kitty Fishing Pole, and Puppy Pillows. As a new feature,
this year students will also support a local wildlife rescue shelter. Other
profits will be donated to a local "no kill" animal shelter.
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Summit Highlights
The Giving Tree
By Rebecca Mijares
You might have noticed a tree in the front of the school. It's beautifully decorated by Summit Student Council, but it also has a bigger purpose. The giving tree is a place where kids can donate canned good and non-perishable foods too. These include flour, sugar, canned fruits and vegetables. You can also donate clothing, like hats, gloves, mittens and scarves. All the things that are donated before the winter break, go to The Community Cupboard. They are always thankful for our generous donations. Please help us make the holidays a bit brighter for others.
Third Grade Program
By Sage Overmyer
The third graders music program showed everyone how "Education Rocks!!" They did some crazy moves, like a robot, they played some awesome guitars too! Of course the third graders know that education really does rock. Education rocks because it deepens your understanding of the world and prepares you for the future, whether you are a rock star or a teacher! The third graders had an awesome program, led by Ms. Baker, so if you enjoyed it, be sure to let them know!
Fifth Grade Explorers Unit
By Milena Barnes and Kelsey Moore
The new unit in fifth grade history is famous explorers. I (Kelsey Moore) chose the explorer, Henando De Soto, and I (Milena Barnes) chose Ferdinand Magellan. Each of these explorers have an extraordinary past. In 1531, De Soto traveled to Peru with Francisco Pizarro. Magellan's ship was the first ship to circumnavigate the world. At the end of the unit we are going to present our explorers to our classmates. Some students chose to work alone, while others are working with a partner to complete their presentations.
Book Club
By Caitlan Thorne and Kelsey Moore
Book Club is a club that is held every Tuesday from 8:15 to 8:40. Mrs. Battin supervises students during this time. In the Book Club, you select a book, in a group, and you are assigned chapters to read each week. You also get to read and decipher the journeys and adventures of other books! Plus, everyone in Book Club gets to pick a book to discover! The Book Club is very fun, and fascinating. So if you like to read, and you are available every Tuesday morning, then you should really think about joining! Just contact Mrs. Battin for more information!
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Poetry Corner
What I Be
By A. J. Poppaw
If I could be the sun,
I'd warm the earth and give it light.
If I were the rains,
I'd shower down all day and night.
If I was the earth,
Everywhere would grow the trees.
If I were the wind,
I'd scatter leaves to all the seas.
And if I were the words,
I would whisper all the time.
If I could be the moon,
My magic light would always shine.
What I be, is what I be. What I be, is what I be. What I be, is what I be.
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Yes Play!
By Lauren Mitchell
The Young Environmental Stewards are creating their first ever play! On November 20, 2008, the YES Club decided to create their very own play! The play will be about everything that is piloted and sent into the air, and how electricity, paper, and pollution impact our future. The point of the play is to inspire students, parents, and guardians about how important these things are to our Earth. Some kids will be dressing up in costumes and some will work "behind the scenes". I, Lauren Mitchell, and Jaydi Starling will be announcers and we will be telling the audience what is going on at all times. Others, like Tyler Dahlke, will be dressing up and telling you facts about the subjects. The program will be in front of the whole school. We do not have a specific time and date yet. If you have questions you can ask me or Jaydi!
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Christmas Recipe
By London Varalli
Here is a recipe for a yummy Christmas pie!
* Get an Oreo chocolate pie crust, vanilla ice cream and candy canes
* First-scoop the ice cream in the pie crust as smoothly as possible
* Second-put the candy canes in a Ziploc bag and smash them with a hammer
* Third-sprinkle the candy cane crumbs over the ice cream
* Finally-put the pie in a freezer until the candy canes are totally stuck to the ice cream
WORK FAST because the ice cream melts fast!
ENJOY!
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Colts Rock and Steelers....not so much!
By Zak Hess
The "friendly" feud between Mr. Lang's Colts and Mrs. Rhea's Steelers just pumped up a little bit. Mr. Lang, Garrick Arias, Danny Swaney, and yours truly, Zak Hess, painted Mrs. Rhea's recycle bin in the Colt's colors with the saying "Go Colts!" with a Colt's shoe beside it. What will Mrs. Rhea and her students do as a comeback? HHmmmm....time will tell!
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What to do Over Christmas Break?!
Thanksgiving is Over!
By Caitlan Thorne
I know you enjoyed a break from school. Did you enjoy your turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie? If you like all of that stuff, then Thanksgiving was the holiday for you! You got a break off of school for a whole week! Although you may have had some homework, you still got to eat yummy food and spend time with your family. I hope you made your Thanksgiving break a delight. Even though Thanksgiving is over, Christmas is on the way!
Things to do Over Christmas Break:
By Mcgwire Camp
1. Have fun!
2. Have a snowball fight.
3. Build a snow fort.
4. Open presents.
5. Play with toys.
6. Go skiing or snowboarding.
7. Drink hot chocolate.
8. Watch T.V.
9. Play video games.
10. Go to a friend's house.
11. Get some sleep or rest!
What to do over Christmas Break??????
By Jessica Neumann
Hey kids, it won't be long before you get two weeks off school for Christmas break. If you plan ahead, you might have more fun. Here are my top ten choices to consider:
1. Have FUN relaxing--cut the stress-enjoy NO homework!
2. Have a snowball fight, go sledding or build an ice sculpture.
3. Beg your parents for lots of presents!!
4. Open lots of presents!!
5. Bug your brother :)
6. Sit and read with hot chocolate.
7. Redesign your bedroom.
8. Call a friend or a relative.
9. Make a plan for a new hobby (cooking, make a teddy bear collection)
10. Visit a place you have never been before.
These are all the things I would do. So have fun!!!
Options for Christmas Break- By Josh Gutierres
* One thing to do is go ice skating.
* Another thing is to make gingerbread men/women
* You could sled down a GIANT hill!
* You could make fort and have a huge snowball fight
* You could make Christmas Tree brownies
HO, HO, HO! -By Jaydi Starling
Christmas is almost here, and Christmas break! So before you get bored to death over break, here are some nice ideas so you don't die of being bored:
* Make a snowman
* Have a snowball fight
* Sip up some hot cocoa
* Draw a picture
* Shovel up the driveway
* Make cookies for Santa
* Sing Christmas songs
* Get a Christmas Tree
* Get a haircut
* Write a story with an illustration
* READ! READ! READ!
Over the break I hope we all have a good Christmas!
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The Weather in Divide
By Chris Helland and Trent Foky
We haven't had much snow lately (other than a few inches on December 8th) but it has been a little cold. Remember to have a coat even if it looks warm, somedays it can be colder than it looks. Bring hats and gloves to school, or teachers can leave them in their cars, just in case.
Here is the precipitation for December:
--Average high is 39 degrees F
--Average low is 3 degrees F
--Average precipitation is 0.27 of an inch
--Record high has been 60 degrees F in 1998
--The record low has been -30 degrees F in 1990
Weather Tip of the Month
A good thing to keep in your car is a space blanket, a normal blanket, an emergency first aid kit, and of course some extra food.
Weather Driving Tips
* Checking the ignitions, brakes, wiring, hoses and fan belts
* Changing and adjusting the spark plugs
* Checking the air, fuel, and emission filters, and the PCV valve
* Inspecting the distributor.
* Checking the battery.
* Checking the tires for air, sidewall wear and tread depth.
* Checking antifreeze levels and the freeze line.
Your car should have a tune-up (check owner's manual for the recommended interval) to ensure better gas mileage, quicker starts and faster responses on pick-up and passing power.
Necessary Equipment
An emergency situation on the road can arise at any time and you must be prepared. In addition to making sure you have the tune-up, a full tank of gas, and a fresh anti-freeze, you should carry the following items in your trunk:
* Properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod-type jack
* Shovel
* Jumper Cables
* Tow and tire chains
* Bag of salt or cat litter
* Tool kit
For more information go to the weather channel.com
http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/drivingsafety/drivingsafetytips/winterize.html?from=safetyWinterStorms
http://weather.msn.com/local.aspx?wealocations=wc:USCO0108&q=Divide%2c+CO
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Jokes and Fun!
By Kelsey Moore and Caitlan Thorne
Our Christmas Wish is.........
I wish, I wish, I wish, that........
We could have.........
Chocolate milk, white milk, banana pie, AND.....Ice cream, coconut juice, sherbert, AND....spinach souffle', chocolate cake, oranges, AND....cream puffs, green beans, strawberries, AND.....caramel apples, celery, toaster strudel, AND....Most of all.....GIFTS and a cell phone please!!!!!!!
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Summit Sports Pages
Mike Alstott
By Zak Hess
Mike Alstott is an NFL player, personally, my favorite player that is a running back and wide receiver. Mike Alstott's humongous body helps him break tackles. His tremendous speed in a full on sprint, didn't hurt him at all. Mike's total yards are 7,415 yards! Mike had 67 receptions and 60 touchdowns! Mike Alstott is truly an amazingly, awesome player!
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The Infamous Guess Who??
Guess Who has become a tradition here at Summit Elementary, so see how well you know some of our staff members. Here are last month's clues and answers:
Guess Who?
By London Varalli
* She has brownish-reddish hair
* She thinks that she is a bad singer
* She LOVES the Buccaneers
* She has two Buccaneers flags on her car
* Her best friend is Ms. Forbes
* She is A LOT of fun!
* She likes scary/creepy books
* She is funny
* She likes to sing in front of the class
* She LOVES Mary Downing Howns books
Guess Who?...IT IS MRS. EGALITE!
Guess Who?
By Ryan Curtis
* She teaches fourth grade
* She is nice
* She plays the piano
* She has 3 kids and 4 dogs
* She rides a mountain bike
* Her son races 4-wheelers
* She has a Brazilian Macaw that talks
Guess Who?...IT IS MRS. KEEFER
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Art News-By Mrs. Ratzlaff
Watch for upcoming news!
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Music Notes-By Miss Baker
DECEMBER
Summit Music Program Dates and Times
Mark your calendars now for another exciting season of Summit musicals! All grade level programs are on Thursday evenings starting at 7:00 p.m.
5th grade December 11th, 2008
All-School
Sing Along
December 19, 2008
2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
2nd grade February 5th, 2009
1st grade March 12th 2009
Kinder April 23rd, 2009
A Song of Peace
The fifth graders will present their music concert entitled, "A Song of Peace" about their winter wishes and holiday hopes for a better world. The show will be Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.
The concert will feature songs for peace like "A Candle for Peace," "Let There Be Peace on Earth," "Winter Fantasy" and "No School Tomorrow if it Snows."
With the help of their classroom teachers, the students will be sharing peace poems, winter wishes and holiday hopes for a better world.
Parents, we are going to wear blue and white and silver for the beauty of the winter. If you have any questions, or would like to help out with the show, please let me know.
* The music room is filled with the sounds of the season as students learn about the holidays we celebrate in December: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and La Posada.
We are studying about each celebration and learning many songs, games, dances and activities together.
We will be singing the songs we are learning in our All-School sing-along held on December 19th, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. The Holiday Ringers and Summit Singers will perform and get us into the spirit of the season. Then, Summit students and staff will sing together before heading to their classrooms for the holiday parties. It has become a tradition here at Summit school. This is our sixth annual sing-along and we are all looking forward to it.
The fifth graders are preparing for their upcoming holiday concert entitled, "A Song of Peace."
The countdown to Christmas break has begun and I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and a restful time of peace as we ring in the new year, 2009.
---Miss Baker
2008 Sounds of the Season Holiday Ringers and Summit Singers Performances
· Thursday, December 11, 2008 7:00 p.m. Summit Elementary
· Friday, December 19, 2008 Fifth Grade Summit Singers only! Senior Citizen Center Lunch in Woodland ParkMusicians Wanted!
· Friday, December 19, 2008 Both groups will play two songs before the All-School Holiday Sing-Along.
Choir,
Great job at the "Lighter Side of Christmas Parade" and "Mayor's Tree Lighting."
You sounded beautiful!
Warm Winter Wishes to you and your family!
Asian Delight
The second graders performance of music, instruments, and dance will be entitled, "Asian Delight" with a special focus on Chinese New Year. The show will be Thursday, February 5, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
With the help of their classroom teachers, the students will be sharing about all they have learned about Chinese New Year and we will conclude our show with a dragon parade.
Parents, if you have an Asian costume that we could borrow, please let me know. I would like for each child to have something to wear that reflects the Asian culture.
Stay tuned for more details on this concert in the January newsletter.
Third, fourth and fifth graders will be learning to play recorders second semester. A fourth and fifth grade Summit Sounds Recorder Karate group will be offered Tuesday mornings from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m., where students can practice their recorder songs for the opportunity to earn "belts" for their recorders.
Information will be coming home with students about ordering recorders and supplies and signing up for Summit Sounds Recorder Karate.
Summit will now be collecting Tyson Project A+ labels from Tyson frozen foods products. The labels are worth 24 cents each and the program is similar to "Box Tops For Education." Please cut and bring in your labels to Summit and put them in the jar outside the music room. Then, when we have collected a lot of labels, we'll redeem them for money that will be divided equally between Music, Art and P.E. for equipment, supplies and student needs in the specials areas. This will be an ongoing project that we hope to continue each year.
Miss Baker is the contact person if you have any questions about the fundraiser.
Many guest performers at Summit this month
December is a month full of music at Summit Elementary. With so many guest musicians performing, the students have the chance to be inspired, entertained and educated. It is wonderful to hear so much music for the holidays played throughout the building.
On December 3, 2008 the Woodland Park Madrigals sang for Summit students and staff and performed their play entitled, "Rapunzel." On December 5, 2008, Karin Taylor, a harpist, played for Mrs. Rhea's fourth grade class during music. What a beautiful instrument!
The fifth graders will present their performance on December 11th along with the Holiday Ringers and Summit Singers. Then, on December 16th Woodland Park Middle School band and 8th grade choir will be here at Summit Elementary for a special performance. The month will wrap up with an All-School Sing Along in the gym immediately followed by our holiday parties.
I need an accompanist for Wednesday morning rehearsal, (8:00-8:40 a.m.) and all Summit Singers performances. If you'd like to apply, or know of someone who would be great for the job, please contact me. There is a small salary for this accompanist position.
* Is your child interested in taking private piano, guitar, voice, or woodwinds lessons?
I have a list of names and phone numbers for several private music teachers in the area and I would be glad to send a copy home with your child.
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PTSO Meetings
Future PTSO meetings will be held at 4:30 in the Summit Library.
The dates are as follows:
January 12
February 9
March 9
April 13
May 11
We hope to see you there!
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Upcoming Calendar of Activities
Friday, December 12
Holiday Shop Until Noon
2:30 p.m. - Mr. Kindt's Business Day - room 212
Monday, December 15
7:30 a.m. - Jump Rope for Heart Demo Team - Gym
Tuesday, December 16
7:30 a.m. - Sky Skippers
8:00 a.m. - Summit Sounds
1:30 p.m. - Middle School Band Performance - Summit Gym
4:00 p.m. - K Kids
Wednesday, December 17
8:00 a.m. - Summit Singers
Thursday, December 18
7:45 a.m. - Student Council
7:45 a.m. - Kidnastics - Gym
Friday, December 19
7:45 a.m. - Newspaper
2:00 p.m. - All School Sing Along
2:50 p.m. - Holiday Classroom Parties
Monday - December 22 through
Monday, January 5
NO SCHOOL - Winter Break & Staff Development/Work Day
Tuesday, January 6
First Day Back from Break
7:30 a.m. - Sky Skippers
Wednesday, January 7
8:00 a.m. - Summit Singers
Thursday, January 8
7:45 a.m. - STUCO - room 201
7:45 a.m. - Dance from Around the World
Friday, January 9
7:45 a.m. - Newspaper
Monday, January 12
7:30 a.m. - Jump Rope for Heart Demo Team
Tuesday, January 13
7:30 a.m. - Sky Skippers
8:15 a.m. - 5th Grade Book Club - LMC
Wednesday, January 14
8:00 a.m. - Summit Singers
Thursday, January 15
Friday, January 16
NO SCHOOL
Monday, January 19
NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 20
7:30 a.m. - Sky Skippers
8:15 a.m. - 5th Grade Book Club - LMC
4:00 p.m. - K Kids
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In Our Next Issue:
* A New Year!
* Fun Winter Activities
* Winter Poetry
* Summit Highlights
* Fifth Grade Music Program
* Much, Much More!
Summit Elementary School
490 Meadow Park Drive
Divide, CO 80814
719-686-2401
www.wpsdk12.org
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Purchase a Summit T-Shirt Today! Check out our new logo designed by Summit Fifth Grader Milena Barnes!
New T-Shirts: $10
(Youth S,M,L, Adult S,M,L,XL)
Old T-Shirts: $5
(Youth S,L)
Old Long Sleeve T-Shirts: $5
(Adult S)
Old Sweatshirts: $10
(Adult S,M)
* Other items for sale through PTSO:
Beanie Eagles: $5
Show your school spirit and pride! Order today!
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